Traffic jams, long drives, and highway hypnosis are frequent challenges faced by those who drive motor vehicles. Traffic jams and long drives can significantly reduce the time drivers have available to accomplish daily tasks and perform productive work. Furthermore, long drives in particular can make drivers more susceptible to highway hypnosis, also known as “driving without awareness (DWA)” which is a significant cause of driving accidents according to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Mobile devices such as smart phones, electronic tablets, and laptops are very powerful devices and have many applications, most notably software applications. Without limitation, software applications written for personal computing devices can allow a user to play games, access the Internet, send email, keep track of calendar events, or even connect to other devices using Bluetooth technology. Personal computing devices are also capable of both processing and storing ample amounts of data and many personal computing devices also include microphones, speakers, and accelerometers to detect motion.
Tasks which stimulate the senses and keep the mind occupied can both entertain a driver and help ward off highway hypnosis. Although software applications written for personal computing devices are very capable of stimulating a driver's senses and his mind, use of a personal computing device while driving can be very distracting since the driver must divert his attention away from the road to look at and manipulate the device. It is therefore advantageous to develop a method for interacting with a personal computing device which minimizes these impediments to safe driving.